Hi Julia,

I just prick out my sprouts and grow them on under fluorescents in a cool (55-60F - ish) basement. Transplant to individual pots when they show 2 true leaves.

There are two advantages to this:

1) Come spring, they're much larger and sturdier than seedlings that sprouted outside.

2) You can harden them off and get them outside by late winter (in z7), before you need the light space for perennials and annuals sown in Feb/Mar.

Steven

The problem is, I don't have a cool basement. Of the different places I have, could you please suggest which one might be best?
(1 - warmish house - 68 degrees)
(2 - outside?!)
(3 - cold garage - but I might forget to water them there)

Self sown seed germinate in late spring and early summer, after the winter chill period and thus begin their growth cycle in warm temperatures. Once they have developed true leaves, I would pot them in a well drained soil or soiless mix and place them in a well lighted indoor area, observing the nearly equal day/night light cycle of spring. When transplanting, handle them carefully by the leaves only, to avoid bruising the stems and roots, which are very tender at this point. It would also be a good idea to drench the potting soil with a broad spectrum fungicide before transplanting, to prevent "damping-off". When spring arrives, they can be placed outdoors during the day (for several days) to "harden them off", prior to leaving them outside.
Helleborus are not heavy feeders and I never fertilize them. They can also withstand a dryish environment and overwatering can be a concern. They also tend to sulk after transplanting and sometimes will lay over on the ground for several days, before recovering.
Good luck!
Rb

Only time I did this, I took them when most had a root sticking out of the seed coat, picked up gently with a pair of broad nose tweezers, and planted them in 3" square pots 1/4" deep in a pre-moistened 50/50 miracle-gro potting soil/perlite mix. Then topped off with 1/2" of fine chick starter grit (crushed granite. Put the pots in a cool sunny window, and left there. All those which had shown roots sticking out of the seed sprouted, those which did not show roots did not. I guess next time, I'll just remove those with roots, and leave the others for more cold. I up-potted the sprouted ones to 4" square deep pots this fall after the summer's growth. I left the unsprouted pots outside under a shrub in hopes that some more will sprout after the winter.

George

Plant them outside in a well prepared area.